Educational institutions to reopen in Manipur

Imphal, Sept 14: The Manipur government has decided to reopen all educational institutions from tomorrow following an agreement with the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS).

This decision was taken yesterday after the JCILPS agreed in a meeting with the government to lift the "indefinite public curfew", imposed since September 11 by students wing of the Committee to press implementation of inner line permit system in Manipur, an official release said here today.

Educational institutions were closed in the state since September 11 following the "indefinite public curfew" launched by JCILPS. During the meeting between Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh and representatives of JCILPS last night, the government also agreed to release all the arrested members of the JCILPS including women volunteers.

A spokesperson of the JCILPS said if the government failed to release the arrested persons including top JCILPS members without any condition till September 19, the committee would reimpose "public curfew" which restricted movement of non-Manipuris particularly migrant labourers who do not have valid documents.

JCILPS, supported by various social organisations and students bodies, launched the agitation for implementation of the inner line permit system in the state because the number of outsiders including migrant labourers had "outnumbered the tribal population in the state", the spokesperson said.

As a precautionary measures, more than 150 non-Manipuris particularly labourers in Imphal west, Imphal east and Bishenpur districts were being kept at Dharamsala relief camp.